Therapeutic Foster Care

Therapeutic Foster Care: for children and youth removed from their homes by DHHS because of abuse or neglect. Given their experiences, many of these children need additional supervision, stability and care, often at a moment's notice. Our foster families create safe, loving homes for these children in transition. The Opportunity Alliance provides each foster family with a case manager, a knowledgeable social worker able to connect the family with all the resources and training they need. Our team organizes foster family discussion groups, advocacy projects and social gatherings; assists with licensing and paperwork; and arranges respite care to keep families connected and nurtured.

Interested in foster parenting with The Opportunity Alliance?

Learn more about our Professional Parenting Program by contacting Lauren Archambault, our foster care placement coordinator at 523-5038 (toll free at 1-877-429-6884). Email lauren.archambault@opportunityalliance.org, or use the contact form to the left.You can also check out the links about foster parenting.

Since 1982, our foster families have created safe, loving homes for children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect. Given their experiences, many of these children need additional supervision, stability and care — often at a moment's notice. We provide each of our foster families with a case manager, a knowledgeable social worker able to connect them with all the resources and training they need.

The Opportunity Alliance takes particular care with the placement process, ensuring the best match for child and family.

A multi-disciplinary treatment team that provides services designed to maximize the potential of each foster child in his/her developmental level:

Careful matching of foster family and foster child

Access to licensed respite providers

Financial reimbursement commensurate with the needs of the child.

Interesting, relevant and convenient trainings on such topics as child development and behavior management

Who Are the Foster Children in Our Care

The children placed in The Opportunity Alliance Foster Homes have been removed from their homes by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) as a result of abuse or neglect. Given their experiences, many foster children are found to have special needs requiring a higher than average level of support, supervision and care. At times, the children designated, as therapeutic-level would otherwise be considered for placement in more restrictive residential settings such as hospitals, residential treatment programs or juvenile justice facilities. As an agency, we are devoted to advancing safe, happy, healthy childhoods for children in the least restrictive settings. We believe that treatment foster families can make all the difference in giving a child a chance for stability, growth, and permanency.

Who Can Become A Foster Parent?

The foster families in our program have made a commitment to provide safe, accepting, flexible and stable family environments to children with special needs. Our foster families are committed to supporting reunification with birth families, if possible. Becoming a foster parent is an enormous life decision that will have a profound impact on your family, your future and your life.

Our foster parents come from a variety of professional backgrounds: nurses, writers, social workers, bookkeepers, chefs, stay-at-home parents, and teachers. While diverse in their job history, all foster parents have had a high level of care-giving experience either educationally, professionally, personally or as volunteers. Foster parents may or may not have previously parented; they may be single, married, in committed relationships or divorced. Aside from the basic licensing and agency criteria, we require that foster parents consider themselves professional and full-time participants in a therapeutic process.